U
Ura
Guest
As of the morning of June, 19 tuesday. The 1.8 patch has been available for Diablo II. This patch was a double as it also contained the 1.7 patch as well. Contained in this patch were several major changes to characters, items, shops, and most importantly the rules of the game. For any low level characters (lv1 1-15) the most drastic of the changes will go unnoticed, however there is yet to be a high level character that isn't feel the pinch, the higher up you go the more useless the character becomes. I personally have a 63rd lvl Bowazon who now not only can't hit anything, but does so little damage I'd be better off trying to throw rocks. My redeemer in training paladin is also greatly effected by this as an enemy that used to take 1 or 2 hits to kill now take 5.
Already due to the patch changes several major (80th lvl+) characters on the hardcore ladder have died and several months of work by all players has been flushed down the tubes.
Several supposed reasons have been given in the b.net chat areas such as, "They're just getting the game geared up for the expansion pack." or, "They're trying to put heavier emphasis on team play."
The problem with these arguments is that in the first, by doing this, they are forcing you to buy the expansion if you want your game to work right. Or more simply, they pulled a microsoft by giving us a patch that plugged our programs full of errors and that we MUST by the newest version coming out if we want it to work right. I call this extortion marketing, and no one likes to be extorted.
The second reason, and one I'd like to believe more in is the heavier emphasis on team play. This is good and fine, but unfortunatly because of the patch it also effects your games when you play on your own without using b.net. Most of my home characters when in hell difficulty in various stages of the game, but now I don't think any will advance as I can't seem to kill anything and get swarmed to death. This to me is no fun and makes the game highly unenjoyable. Think of it as if you went to a magic tournament with your brand new rebels deck and everyone was playing pre-bannings Trix. Sounds a little unbalanced doesn't it?
Also with this second reason, they have the difficulty on the monsters jack up everytime a new player enters the game which means that by using a team, they still are no easier to kill. Myself and a group of 7 other players including a bowazon, high level sorceress, 2 barbs, and 3 pallys al died a number of times trying to finish the 3rd act on normal difficulty. This has never happened before to any of us as the area in question was known as tough, but very beatable with one character. Now 8 all died more then they care to admit.
So please fellow heros of diablo, look at and sign the petion to have the game restored to its 1.6 functionality, where we could adventure on our own without having to fear being run over by a metaphorical freight train.
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/d2ep/
For those who are interested, a short review of major changes both good and bad:
The good:
Shops now price and carry items that are balanced to your character level.
It is possible to get superior socketed items now.
several short cuts to buy potions and scrolls have been introduced to make it simpler and faster.
Keys now stack to 12 instead of 6 in the inventory.
Characters are all more balanced in dueling so that barbs and pallys don't simply take all.
More experience from more difficult monsters (if you can kill them)
The bad:
The life and mana leach abilities now now longer work properly, taking a major part out of the amazon and barbarian strategy.
Unique monsters will now drop superior quality throwing weapons insted of magic items as they are now considered magical by the game due to the way item stats are processed.
There has been a spell casting delay time added to several higher level spells and abilities effecting all classes but most especially the Sorceress and bow style amazon. This basically means that they must stand around and wait a few seconds after casting certain spells before they may cast them again, making the character far more useless.
Monster difficulty jacked up an unreasonable level by both giving the enemies more hit points and better armoring. As well every other monster in act4 is now fully immune to an elemental type making several attack strategies useless in all classes.
Monsters now hit ALOT harder in all areas making it much easier for them to kill you.
Forcing you to buy the expansion pack so your game can be playable again.
Thank you and good night
Already due to the patch changes several major (80th lvl+) characters on the hardcore ladder have died and several months of work by all players has been flushed down the tubes.
Several supposed reasons have been given in the b.net chat areas such as, "They're just getting the game geared up for the expansion pack." or, "They're trying to put heavier emphasis on team play."
The problem with these arguments is that in the first, by doing this, they are forcing you to buy the expansion if you want your game to work right. Or more simply, they pulled a microsoft by giving us a patch that plugged our programs full of errors and that we MUST by the newest version coming out if we want it to work right. I call this extortion marketing, and no one likes to be extorted.
The second reason, and one I'd like to believe more in is the heavier emphasis on team play. This is good and fine, but unfortunatly because of the patch it also effects your games when you play on your own without using b.net. Most of my home characters when in hell difficulty in various stages of the game, but now I don't think any will advance as I can't seem to kill anything and get swarmed to death. This to me is no fun and makes the game highly unenjoyable. Think of it as if you went to a magic tournament with your brand new rebels deck and everyone was playing pre-bannings Trix. Sounds a little unbalanced doesn't it?
Also with this second reason, they have the difficulty on the monsters jack up everytime a new player enters the game which means that by using a team, they still are no easier to kill. Myself and a group of 7 other players including a bowazon, high level sorceress, 2 barbs, and 3 pallys al died a number of times trying to finish the 3rd act on normal difficulty. This has never happened before to any of us as the area in question was known as tough, but very beatable with one character. Now 8 all died more then they care to admit.
So please fellow heros of diablo, look at and sign the petion to have the game restored to its 1.6 functionality, where we could adventure on our own without having to fear being run over by a metaphorical freight train.
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/d2ep/
For those who are interested, a short review of major changes both good and bad:
The good:
Shops now price and carry items that are balanced to your character level.
It is possible to get superior socketed items now.
several short cuts to buy potions and scrolls have been introduced to make it simpler and faster.
Keys now stack to 12 instead of 6 in the inventory.
Characters are all more balanced in dueling so that barbs and pallys don't simply take all.
More experience from more difficult monsters (if you can kill them)
The bad:
The life and mana leach abilities now now longer work properly, taking a major part out of the amazon and barbarian strategy.
Unique monsters will now drop superior quality throwing weapons insted of magic items as they are now considered magical by the game due to the way item stats are processed.
There has been a spell casting delay time added to several higher level spells and abilities effecting all classes but most especially the Sorceress and bow style amazon. This basically means that they must stand around and wait a few seconds after casting certain spells before they may cast them again, making the character far more useless.
Monster difficulty jacked up an unreasonable level by both giving the enemies more hit points and better armoring. As well every other monster in act4 is now fully immune to an elemental type making several attack strategies useless in all classes.
Monsters now hit ALOT harder in all areas making it much easier for them to kill you.
Forcing you to buy the expansion pack so your game can be playable again.
Thank you and good night